Although computer networks have become relatively common both in office and in home networking environments, such networks are typically fairly sophisticated and require significant processing power, electrical power, and infrastructure to work well. Some networking applications do not require so robust a network environment, but can benefit from the ability to provide electronic communications between devices.
The Bluetooth technology that enables a cell phone user to associate and use an earpiece in what is sometimes referred to a personal area network or PAN. Similarly, the familiar WiFi or Ethernet connections routed throughout many homes today are often referred to as a home area network. These networks are often linked to broader networks, such as a cellular telephone network or the Internet, to provide various services to the local area networks. Other types of network have similar structures, but are used for special purposes such as control or communication with specific devices or applications.
One such example is home networks designed in conjunction with “Smart Energy” or “Smart Grid” initiatives, in which devices in the home such as thermostats, water heaters, air conditioning, and other utilities are monitored or controlled via a network connection. A network link or backhaul between a utility service such as an electric power meter and a utility company provides the utility company with access to metering data. In addition, a high speed network connection often provides communication for other devices or services, such as being able to manage or control appliances or devices coupled to the utility service. For example, a power meter backhaul may be used to communicate power use and billing information to the utility, while a high-speed backhaul may be used to time cycle air conditioning in times of high demand to manage the demands made on the electric power grid.
The utility backhaul or network link is often built directly into the power meter, and typically provides limited data communication such as billing information. The utility meter can therefore use low-speed service such as cellular telephone networks or a neighborhood mesh network to communicate power use or billing data back to the utility company. Other communications, such as appliance or utility control signals used in the home area network, are communicated via a high-speed link such as a local broadband network provided via WiFi, cable modem, DSL, or other such technologies.
It is therefore desirable to manage network connectivity among the various devices in a home network.